Fruit-basket



. y(No Model.)

G. H. GILLETTB. k

FRUIT BASKBSL".v

No. 382,761. Patented Maly 1 5, 18.881.

PATENT GEEICE.

GEORGE H. GILLETTE, 0E NEvvAEK, NEW JERSEY.

FRUIT-BASKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part df Letters Patent nasca-761, dated May 15, 1888.

' Application tiled February ll, 1888. Serial No. 263,690. (No model.)

To all whom it mayconcerjn.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. GILLETTE, a citizen ofthe United States, residing atllew-l ark, in the county Aof Essex, State of New J er'.

sey, have inventedcertain new and useful Improvements in Fruit-Baskets, of which' the 'fol' lowing is a specification, referencebeing yhad therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to fruit-basketaiand particularly to that class of baskets which are intended for the packing, storing, and transportatio'n'of fruits.

Referring tothe drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section; Fig. 2, a side elevationof a fruit-basket constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 3 is a detailin perspective of one of the ,cover-*securing devices. Fig. 4 is a sectional detail of a modication.

Like letters refer to like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

My basket may be made of any suitable material, preferably of straw-board, either plain or tanned, toughened, waterproofed, or otherwise treated. In this instance the body A is tapered, although it may be cylindrical, and

- is apertured, as at A', for ventilative purposes.

At the overlapping joint or seam A2 of the body suitable fastening devices, as staples B, are passed through and clinched. The bottom C and cover D are formed by first cutting a disk of the material used radially and lapping the cut edges to form the joint or seam D', which is secured by suitable devices, as staples B, in such manner as to retain the cover or bottom in conical form. An aperture, A', may be made at the apex of the cover and bottm, if desired. Without an aperture there would be a useless surplus of material at the apex, which is removed in forming the-aperture.

rlhe bottom C differs from the cover in that there is formeda depending flange, O', integral with the bottom C,which conforms to the body of the basket, and in conical bodies serves in a wedge-like manner to support the load placed thereon,while in cylindrical bodies and in conical bodies the said flange not only serves to strengthen the bottom, but, it being flush with the lower edge of the body, also relieves excessive strain upon the staples B, which serve to secure the bottom within the body.

The formation of the top and bottom by removing a section of a disk and overlapping the radial edges to form a seam produces a conical form without striking u'p thc material, asin `molded or die shaped articles. Vifhfile :this feature is not claimed, broadly, as of my invention, still it aids in reducing thecOSt-to'fa material fextent, While when the integral iiange' is formed on the disk the surplus of materiall always. existing in such operation'is materially reduced in the previous step of removinga' section of the disk out of which a bottom'is to be made, andwhile molded and die-shapedor struck-up bottoms are well known', they. are withou't'searn on a radial line, which` serves to strengthenthe structure, and are. more;:costly toprodu'ce.. I therefore deemthe conical, in-

tegrallyfianged, and radially-seamedfb'ottom as one of the valuable f eatures'of mylbasket.

At thetqp and bottom, and, if desrea'jiat the middle also, of thebasket are exterior hoops,

E, secured by staples or other suitable well 5" known fastening devices. basket there is an interior hoop, E', so that at the top and bottom of the basket there are three plies of material to withstand the wear of these portions. Between the exterior hoop,

E, and the outer surface of the body, and at.

the top of the basket, I insert cover-retaining clamps F. Theseare preferably of yany suitable sheetmetal which will withstand one or more bendings transversely without breaking. A low grade of thin sheet-steel is one kind of F is a clinching end. vIt is also illustrated in this figure by dotted lines as turned upwardly against the hoop.

If desired, an offset, shoulder, or bend, F2, may be formed in the clamp to prevent its being pushed downwardly between the hoop and body while bending its upper end, F3, over upon the cover to retain thesame upon'the basket, or otherwise.

In circular baskets" At thetop of the Ico three or more clamps areA preferably used ,but

the number may be varied at will.

In the modification illustrated in Fig. 4 the upper hoop, E, is extended above the upper edge of the body Ato a distance substantially agreeing with the thickness of the cover,which is re-enforeed and protected completely around the top of the basket.

It is intended that these baskets may be used for transportation and piled one upon the other when filled, as the conical top or cover of one basket will tit Within the concavity of the bottom of the superimposed basket, and when so arranged the broad ends of the clamp may, by being lengthened, present a metallic supporting-surface for the superimposed basket,land in this respect they serve the double function of securing the cover in place and protecting it from injury;

What I claim ism 1. A basket of the character described, having the conical integrallyflanged radially'- seamed bottom formed 'of a single piece of material, substantially as specified.

2. A basket of vthe class described, having the conical integrally-flanged radially-scanned bottom, the conical radially-seamed cover,.and dat metal cover-retainingclamps,substantially as specified.

3. A basket of the class described, having the conical, tapered, and integrally-flanged bottom, a tapered body, and a hoop, the flange, body, andv hoop being secured together by staples passing therethrough, substantially as specified.

4. A bottoni for a basket of the character described, consisting of a disk having a portion removed and overlapped on radial lines to form a seam and having an integral flange, substantially as specified.

5. In a basket ot the class described, the body A, the conical cover D, resting upon the upper edge of the body, an exterior hoop, E, projecting above the body, and the cover-retaining elamp F, secured between the hoop and body and adapted to be bent down upon the cover, substantially as specified.

6. In a basket of the class described, the body A, cover D, the exterior hoop, E, and a malleable cover-retaining device arranged between the hoop and body, with its lower end passing through and clinched to the latter and its upper end adapted to be bent down upon the cover, substantially as specified.

7. The clamp F, having the clinching end F', the bend or shoulder F, and the cover-retaining end F3, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof I affix my si gnature in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE H. GILLETTE.

Witnesses:

KING C. GILLETTE, LEAorr KING. 

